It is the process of using heat and pressure to forge a new alloy with base metals, usually brass.īecause nickel is not used in overlay, rings and other jewelry with gold overlay do not irritate the skin like some gold plated jewelry items do. The technique has been around for thousands of years and used all over the world. Gold OverlayĪn object with gold overlay has a thicker coating that will hold up better over time and is usually more valuable gold plated objects. It is the practice of applying fine gold powder or gold leaf to hard surfaces such as wood, stone or metal without the use of electric current. A gilt is used to describe a gilded object. Traditionally, gilding has been largely used for decoration. Gold must be at least 7 millionths of an inch thick.Ī gold layered object is similar to gold plated, but it differs in that there is no Federal standard for “gold layered”, so a gold layered object could have as little as 1 millionths of an inch of gold plating on it.It’s especially popular in the jewelry industry because it gives you a product that resembles gold, but without the high price. Semiconductors, circuit boards and audio jacks are just a few of the products people tend to see all the time that use gold plated hardware. Gold plating is a common practice especially in today’s electronics industry. It gives the object a gold-like appearance and also renders it more desirable for the gold-like properties. Gold plating is the practice of applying a very thin layer of gold onto the surface of an object through a process called electroplating.
There are also a few other terms you should know about as well, such as gilding, gold layered, and gold filled. If you’re one that sells or buys gold, it’s important to understand the distinction between the two, the biggest being layer thickness. You may be surprised to find out, however, that each term carries very different meanings.
Image courtesy of For most people, it’s easy to confuse gold plated with gold overlay.
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